Human remains found in 1979 in Chicago suburb identified through DNA, forensic genealogy

BARRINGTON HILLS, Ill. (AP) — Partially dismembered human remains found in 1979 in a Chicago suburb have been identified through DNA and forensic genealogy as those of a man who was 27 when he vanished, authorities said.

Barrington Hills police announced Wednesday the remains are those of Joseph A. Caliva. He vanished in August 1979, the same month a boy found the remains in the village about 40 miles (64 kilometers) northwest of Chicago.

Authorities were unable to identify the man, who had been decapitated, burned and was missing his arms. But last year, Barrington Hills police sent items containing genetic material to Othram, a Texas-based genetic genealogy company that specializes in forensic DNA work.

After company scientists successfully extracted enough DNA to build a genetic profile, genetic genealogists built a family tree using genetic databases with public profiles to trace the man’s relatives, said Michael Voegn, Othram’s director of account management.

Linda Gressick, who was identified as a relative, submitted her DNA to Othram and the results determined that she was Caliva’s half-sister.

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Gressick said her family grew up in Chicago and her half-brother, a former Marine, was 27 and employed by Chicago’s Streets and Sanitation department when he vanished in August 1979. She said that knowing the remains are his has provided some closure, but now she wants to know what happened to him.

“It’s very unsettling,” Gressick told WGN-TV. "... I’m hoping to find out more about what happened and everything.”

Barrington Hills detectives are asking anyone who knew Caliva and remembers anything from the time period when he vanished to call them at 847-551-3006 and reference case number 1979-2050.